


it's all for you (everything i do)

by dearfelix



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Hunger Games, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 07:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13406361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearfelix/pseuds/dearfelix
Summary: changbin had trained his entire life to enter the hunger games and continue district 4′s tradition of glory, but when the day of the reaping comes he volunteers for an entirely different reason.





	it's all for you (everything i do)

 

 

 

in a couple of hours, district 4 would be holding its reaping for the 94th annual hunger games. the harbor rang with the shouts of fishermen docking early for the day and the sprawling marketplace bustled with women purchasing goods for dinner feasts. whistling workers were putting the finishing touches on the large stage now standing in the middle of the grand public square. for district 4, one of the three career districts, the reaping was a festive event.

changbin felt several gazes on him as he walked down the cobblestone road. just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard a girl from behind shout out  _good luck_ , followed by her friends congratulating her for being brave enough to speak up.

over the years, he had gotten used to this sort of thing. changbin had been selected from an early age to train as a career tribute–someone who would voluntarily compete in the hunger games in the hopes of bringing glory to the district. the career tributes and their families enjoyed great privileges, and around the time of the reapings they were held in particularly high regard, receiving support and praise from everyone in the district.

after waiting on the sidelines for the past few reapings, changbin would finally have the chance to volunteer today. the coaches for the careers had worked out a system wherein each year, out of the pool of career trainees aged 17-18, they would select the top three. the coaches left it up to the top three to decide among themselves during the reaping who would volunteer. the flexibility was necessary because every few reapings the capitol would spring something unexpected on the districts.

changbin had easily made it into the top three this year. since he was 18 this year, this would be his one and only chance to represent his district at the games.

 

 

 

arriving at his destination, changbin gave the polished wood door a few raps. not a moment after, the door flung open to reveal a brightly beaming blonde-haired boy.

 _felix_ , changbin’s first and dearest friend.

they had been neighbors back in the day, so their mothers often had them play together. at first, five-year-old changbin had been annoyed at having a four-year-old follow him around like a shadow (albeit a loud, constantly happy shadow), but when some bullies at the playground had the nerve to pick on felix, changbin didn’t hesitate to show them they were messing with the wrong preschooler. after that, the two became an inseparable pair, always found huddled in a corner of the school yard or laughing as they walked home together.

changbin had been selected to join the career training system when he turned twelve and around the same time felix’s family moved to their current house, closer to the center of town. a year later, felix had been elected for his first of many student council posts. despite the divergence in their lives, the pair was as close as ever. as they grew older and saw less and less of each other during the day, they began sneaking out at night to talk under the stars or wander the harbor.

where there was felix, changbin wasn’t far off, and vice versa.

to this day, changbin still felt a fierce protectiveness over the other, or at least “protectiveness” is what he tried to convince himself he was feeling. with each day that felix grew into himself, transforming from a gangly happy-go-lucky kid into a handsome heartthrob (as dubbed by the the girls at their school), changbin knew that his feelings were also changing into something foreign and confusing. something that he, the formidable career tribute, was too cowardly to confront.

“hyung! i’ve been waiting for you. come in,” the younger said excitedly, dragging changbin inside. felix chattered away, strangely talkative today even for him, but fell quiet as they walked past the main study. changbin caught a glance of felix’s father, district 4′s mayor, hunched at his desk probably pouring over the speech he’d be giving later tonight. as soon as they neared the end of the long hallway, felix resumed his chatter.

“hey, slow down,” changbin laughed, motioning for felix to take a breath. ignoring him, the younger kept talking about nonsense–-a group project in his advanced panem history class, his new duties as student council president, the puppy at the district shelter that he wanted to adopt–-as they entered his room.

“ _hey_ , i said slow down,” changbin chided again, reaching for felix’s hands, which were shaking slight. he was beginning to grow worried. “what’s wrong? you’re acting weird.”

to his surprise, after a brief silence felix let out a choked sob and said in an unusually somber voice, “it’s the reaping today.”

 _ah, of course that’s what it was_. changbin struggled to school his face into a mask of nonchalance.

“i know you keep telling me not to say stuff like this, but i can’t help it-– _please_ , i don’t want you to volunteer. i don’t want you to get hurt or even…” felix lowered his teary eyes, choking on the word  _killed_.

changbin felt a rush of emotions swell up in him but, as always, forced them down. they had had this same conversation countless times, ever since changbin first accepted the offer to be a career trainee and felix angrily ignored him for a week.

in the beginning, changbin had stated that he had no intention of ever volunteering for the hunger games. he had only accepted the offer because being a career trainee meant that the district would take good care of his family and it came at the perfect time because his aging father had been showing signs of health problems.

as time wore on, however, changbin began seeing himself in the games. he was a damn good trainee who excelled in every area, whether it be weapons training, survival, or strategy. during the virtual reality simulations the trainers ran on them, changbin was usually ranked first. when he studied footage of past games, he was able to easily pick up on the tributes’ strengths and weaknesses, and could even figure out how to best exploit them.

he would be the perfect career tribute.

perhaps he had been brainwashed from years of training and perhaps he was a little too addicted to the exhilaration and adrenaline rush of pushing himself to his limits,but, more than that, he was confident in his ability to _win._

he often daydreamed about becoming a victor. he imagined himself retiring back to district 4, where felix would be waiting for him. he would build them a quiet, comfortable life in the victor’s village. they would live happily and grow old together without having to worry about anything.

no matter how changbin tried to explain himself though, felix always begged him to drop his naive dreams.  _please_ _don’t leave me here to watch you fight to the death,_  he'd beg, please _don’t leave me._

this time, like every time before, changbin simply pulled felix into his arms and rubbed his back soothingly.

 

 

 

the pair stood solemnly with the other children eligible for this year’s reaping, watching attentively as felix’s father wrapped up his speech on stage and introduced the next speaker: kai, district 4′s long-time escort. everyone in the public square cheered as the dashing young man from the capitol made his way on stage.

instead of greeting the crowd with his signature smirk, kai wore a troubled expression. he lifted a finger to his lips, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

“before we begin, i have a message to relay from the capitol about the reaping,” kai began. “there has been a change made to the rules.”

worried murmurs swept across the crowd. changes to the reaping happened occasionally, but were never good.

“in an effort to further refine the games, the government has decided on the following two changes, effectively immediately. first, volunteers will no longer be accepted for those aged sixteen and over. second, the two tributes will be selected from a combined pool of both genders.”

the public square immediately erupted into shouts of protest and disbelief. some were angry at the obvious move to lessen the power of the career districts, but most were fretting over their children or siblings or friends who were now in danger. this sense of panic was a first for district 4, since they were used to having the assurance that a career trainee would step up and volunteer in place of those chosen through the reaping.

changbin felt soft fingers intertwine with his. he could easily cover felix’s small hand completely with his own. he glanced over to see felix biting his bottom lip, a habit of his when he was nervous or scared.

“don’t worry,” changbin squeezed the other’s hand reassuringly. kai was already reaching into the large box on stage to select the first name, but he was focused on felix. it had occurred to him to be worried for the other, but he was was practical and rational to a fault, “you only have one ticket in the reaping, out of hundreds of thousands. besides, your father's the mayor. you’ll be okay.”

as the words left his mouth, he belatedly registered the words  _lee felix_  ringing through the square. the children standing around changbin and felix fell silent, as did the rest of the public square. changbin felt countless stares directed at them. he was suddenly overcome with a feeling he'd never experienced before in his young life. he was unable to tear his gaze away from felix’s.

everything happened in slow motion.

changbin grabbed desperately at the hand that was slipping out of his, but he was too late. he stood rooted to the spot as the children around them parted down the middle, creating a path to the stage. his mouth opened to scream as he watched felix’s retreating back move further and further away, but no sound came out.

felix looked small and lost as he stood on stage. he stared vacantly at some point just beyond the silent crowd, unresponsive, as kai tried unsuccessfully to coax district 4′s first tribute to speak.

all at once, changbin’s senses came hurtling back to him. his heart was racing and his mind was simultaneously chaotic and blank. he was anchored to reality by the singular purpose of protecting his most precious person.

when kai called the name of the second tribute and it turned out to be a young thirteen-year-old girl, changbin’s body surged forward, gravitating toward felix as his cries of  _I volunteer_ penetrated through the heavy air. the other two top career trainees let him go without a fight. they knew there would be no stopping him.

and so, with all dreams of glory forgotten, changbin took his place next to felix on stage.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> this was originally supposed to be a short one-shot, but i think i'll continue it?
> 
> comments & kudos are appreciated~♡
> 
> find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/smileyfelix) / [tumblr](https://smileyfelix.tumblr.com)


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